2014 Tour de Cure

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The American Diabetics Associations Tour de Cure is 1 June based out of the Saratoga Springs High School.

The event is supported by the Saratoga County RACES Assn.

The event has routes that go through Saratoga, Schenectady, and Warren Counties. There will be over 2,000 riders.

Amateur who have a mobile assignment (SAG vehicle, Bike repair, Floater, etc) will need a mobile radio, auxiliary power plug and mag mount antenna. If they have APRS that is great but not necessary. If they don't have a radio or APRS we can supply one. All that is really needed is the contribution of a day.

The event provides great public service communications experience.

The following is from the in operator's guide:

Notes and instructions:

1. Net Control is located at the Saratoga Springs High School in the library. Access is via the Court Yard. Amateurs who will be meeting a van or bike repair will meet their ride in the parking lot in front of the High School

2. Parking at the school will be strictly controlled. When you come in the front entrance identify yourself as a radio operator. Plan on parking in the big lot in front of the school – if you get there early enough!

3. You MUSThave a radio that is programmed with the following frequencies and PL tones:

a. 147.000 (+) K2DLL Spruce Mountain repeater -- PL 91.5 Hz

b. 147.2400 (+) K2DLL Providence repeater – PL 91.5 Hz

c. 146.730 (-) Warren County RACES repeater – PL 100 Hz

d. 146.550 simplex

e. 145.390 (-) Mt. Equinox – PL 100 Hz – BACK UP REPEATER

147.000 and 147.240 will be linked for the event. Net control may direct you to QSY off of 147.000/147.240 on occasions. Vehicles operating in the Warren County portion of the routes may need to use 146.730 to communicate with net control.

4.There will be over 2,100 riders this year. In the early hours of the event radio traffic is very intense. Your transmissions must be brief and concise.

5. Emergencies – if you observe an accident where a person needs EMS or an incident that requires immediate law enforcement attention if you have a cell phone and are within cellular coverage call 911. As soon as possible advise net control of the situation. If you don’t have a cell phone or don’t have cellular coverage pass your emergency traffic through net control. If you are supporting a vehicle please read the ADA’s Vehicle Manual (sent separately) for instructions on how to deal with emergencies and other road side incidents.

6. If you are going to be in one of the SAG, Bike Repair, or Logistics vehicles you MUSThave a portable/mobile (mobile preferred) radio with an auxiliary power plug or lots of spare batteries and a mag mount antenna. If you don’t have these items let us know and we will set you up.

7. Roamers may also have a bike mechanic on-board.

8. Given the size of the event and routes the time estimates are our best guess. Van assignments might well last until the end of the event.

9. Roamer and bike repair vehicles are assigned to a primary area. However, net control will dispatch resources as necessary regardless of assigned area.

10. There will be copies available at Net Control, We have also requested Map Books for each vehicle.

11. New for this year! The event will secure at 4:30 PM. That means if there are riders left on the routes they are on their own. All riders will be advised of this new ADA policy.

c. Call Net Control when you leave your QTH so we know you are coming.

d. When you get to your assignment introduce yourself to the other volunteers, set up in a convenient but out of the way location, if you want to help the other rest stop volunteers you can do so, but that is your call. Our function is to provide communications.

e. We will be using ‘tactical call signs’. So, for example Bill – Kc2abc at the Country Club will be ‘Kc2abc – Country Club’.

f. The net is directed. Call net control, wait to be recognized and then state your traffic – briefly.

g. If you have an emergency to report – Say ‘EMERGENCY’ and your tactical call sign. All other stations stand by until net control has taken care of the emergency traffic and returned the net to normal operations.

13. At some of the rest stops there are “team tents”. These are for individual riding teams so they may or may not be receptive in offering you and other volunteers a snack or drink. Best to avoid them if at all possible!

14. Parking –If you need to drop off or pick up equipment tell the parking lot person. Do not park in front of the school except to drop off or pick up equipment. That is the bike staging area.

15. We did a briefing at the volunteer orientation on who we are, what we do, etc. When you get to your rest stop or meet up with the support vehicle driver give them a quick overview on the communication services we provide to the event.